1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a vacuum packaging machine for forming a vacuum in a vacuum packaging bag to keep food in the vacuum packaging bag for long periods and a system for controlling the vacuum packaging machine and, more particularly, to a vacuum packaging machine, which selectively eliminates dregs and water flowing out from food contained in a vacuum packaging bag at the time of vacuum sealing by connecting an outlet formed in a cover to a separation unit, eliminates user's inconvenience of manually pressing a hood to form a vacuum by utilizing catches capable of closely pushing locking hooks formed on the hood, and cuts and utilizes the vacuum packaging bag in a required length by attaching a roll cartridge to a housing, and to a system for controlling the vacuum packaging machine, which improves a system of a conventional vacuum packaging machine that manually vacuum sealed a vacuum packaging bag to keep food for long periods, thus conveniently and automatically vacuum sealing the vacuum packaging bag in a one-touch manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in order to keep raw food or cooked food, the food is packaged with wraps or vinyl papers and then stored in a freezing machine, such as a freezer. However, there is a problem in that the storage of food in a freezer is possible only for a predetermined period, and it is difficult to keep food for long periods because raw food and cooked food are oxidized and thus deteriorated due to air contained in the vacuum packaging bag.
In order to solve this problem, there has been developed and used a vacuum packaging machine for removing air from a vacuum packaging bag and sealing the vacuum packaging bag after the food to be kept is put into the vacuum packaging bag so as to keep the food for long periods by preventing raw food or cooked food from being oxidized and thus deteriorated.
That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a conventional vacuum packaging machine is constructed so that a hood 20 and a housing 10 are provided, rubber packings 12 and 22 are mounted in the housing 10 and the hood 20, respectively, to package a vacuum packaging bag after one end of the vacuum packaging bag is inserted into the hood 20, a pump 14 is provided to draw air contained in a vacuum packaging bag 50 using the upper and lower rubber packings 22 and 12, and a heater 16, which is a heating means for sealing the vacuum packaging bag 50, is placed in front of the lower rubber packing 12.
Through the above construction, after putting food to be stored into the vacuum packaging bag 50 and locating an inlet of the vacuum packaging bag between the upper and lower rubber packings 22 and 12, a user presses the upper rubber packing 22 formed in the hood 20 down so as to allow the upper and lower rubber packings 22 and 12 to come into contact with each other.
In this case, there is a problem in that a compulsory force is applied to the hood 20 so as to allow the upper and lower rubber packings 22 and 12 to come into contact with each other and then allow the vacuum packaging bag 50 to be completely sealed.
In this state, if the user presses a certain switch, the pump 14 is operated and a vacuum is formed in a space between the rubber packings 12 and 22 by the operation of the pump 14. If a vacuum packaging bag made of typical vinyl is used, air contained in the vacuum packaging bag 50 cannot be drawn by the upper and lower rubber packings 22 and 12. However, since embossed patterns 50a are formed on one side surface of the vacuum packaging bag 50, the air contained in the vacuum packaging bag 50 can be drawn by the embossed patterns 50a. 
As described above, if the formation of a vacuum in the vacuum packaging bag 50 has been completed, power is supplied to the heater 16 placed in front of the lower rubber packing 12, and then the vacuum packaging bag 50 is thermally fused and sealed. Further, on the hood 20, a heater pressing packing 27 for pressing the vacuum packaging bag 30 is placed to allow the vacuum packaging bag 50 to be easily thermally fused. The heater 16 is implemented to enable the user to adjust the temperature thereof.
However, as described above, the conventional vacuum packaging machine is problematic in that a strong vacuum force acts in the vacuum packaging bag containing food to press the food, thus causing damage to the food, such as breaking or crushing the food. If a vacuum level of the vacuum packaging bag is decreased so as to prevent damage to the food, the food is oxidized and deteriorated due to oxygen remaining in the vacuum packaging bag and, thus, it is impossible to maintain optimum freshness of the food.
Further, a conventional vacuum packaging apparatus allowing for volumetric vacuum control disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,968B1 is problematic in that, since oil or water cannot be separated by a separation assembly at the time of vacuumizing food, the oil or water flows into a pump, so that performance of the pump is deteriorated and a vacuumizing operation is unsanitary. Further, the vacuum packaging apparatus is problematic in that, since a cutter is mounted in a hood and a vacuum packaging bag can be easily cut after the vacuumizing operation; however, a device for cutting the vacuum packaging bag in a required length depending on the amount of food is not provided, so that the vacuum packaging bag must be separately cut in a certain length.
Further, another conventional vacuum packaging machine is disclosed in Korean Pat. No. 109619 entitled “Apparatus for vacuum sealing plastic bags” which is provided with a vacuum chamber means for eliminating impurities. However, the conventional vacuum sealing apparatus is problematic in that, since a vacuum is formed in a vacuum packaging bag after a vacuum is formed in the vacuum chamber means is drawn by a vacuum pump in the case where food not containing water or impurities is put into the vacuum packaging bag and a vacuum is formed therein, a vacuum speed is decreased. Further, the vacuum sealing apparatus is problematic in that, when a large number of impurities are contained in food, the impurities overflow the vacuum chamber means and flow into the vacuum packaging machine, and it is inconvenient in that impurities remaining in the vacuum chamber means must be eliminated at each time after the vacuum is formed in the vacuum packaging bag.
Further, such a conventional vacuum packaging machine is problematic in that, since a system for controlling the vacuum packaging machine is unstable, the following problems involving inconvenience to use are caused as well as the malfunction of the vacuum packaging machine.
First, in the case of a power supply scheme, the conventional vacuum packaging machine is supplied with typical Alternating Current (AC) power and used thereby, but the power supply scheme is complicated and unstable, so that malfunction, such as the halt of the vacuum packaging machine, occurs, thus shortening the lifespan of the vacuum packaging machine.
Further, a pump is generally operated to form a vacuum in a vacuum packaging bag. At this time, a sensing means for sensing the vacuum is constructed in an unstable mechanical manner, so that the reliability of sensed data is decreased.
Moreover, in the convention vacuum packaging machine, a system for monitoring setting and control states thereof is not implemented, so that it cannot provide convenience when using the vacuum packing machine to a user and, especially, a system for easily monitoring malfunction of the vacuum packaging machine even when the malfunction occurs in the vacuum packaging machine due to various factors, such as an unexpected accident, is not implemented.